Questions
by spockandawe
Summary: Korra never knew that Tarrlok had been a father. Over a decade later, the boy wants to speak to her.


Loosely based on some posts over at lunarblue21's tumblr. The idea was that Tarrlok was actually a father when he died, and now over a decade later, the kid's come around to ask Korra some questions. Also I adore writing intelligent, uncomfortably blunt youngsters. Korra had a lot of faults in the series, but her self-centered attitude was one of the things that bothered me the most. Especially in the universe established, I think diplomacy would be a very important skill for the Avatar to cultivate and she... is lacking. Hopefully she gets some good character development in the later seasons, but who knows.

* * *

"You're the Avatar?"

It wasn't a question as much as it was a statement. Korra looked the boy up and down, but he just silently stared at her. "I am. Can I ask who you are? And what do you need me for? I hope someone as young as you doesn't have any serious problems for me to deal with."

"My name is Amaruq."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Amaruq."

"You knew my father."

"I did? I'm sorry, but you'll have to help me a little more. I'm trying to think who you could be related to, but I'm having no luck at all."

"His name was Tarrlok."

She leaned forward across the table. "Really! Tarrlok? Tarrlok had a kid? Huh! I never would have guessed-"

"Why?"

"I'm sorry?"

The boy rested his chin in his hands. "Why wouldn't you have guessed that he was a father?"

"Oh, you know." She flapped a hand. "I'm sure you've heard the stories. I just can't believe he managed to find a woman who would take him. Now that I'm thinking about it though, you do have a bit of his look to you."

"You're surprised that someone loved him?"

"Well I wouldn't put it like _that_."

"How would you put it?"

Korra pulled back. "I- I don't know. Listen, I don't have time for this. What can I do for you?"

"It's about my father."

She waited. "Yes? If you're looking for stories, I don't think you'll enjoy the ones I have."

"I don't need stories. My mother's been telling me about him since I can remember. I wanted-"

"Oh, who is your mother anyways? I had _no_ idea he had a wife. Was she his wife? If he was actually married, you'd think I would have heard."

"You don't know her. She hasn't really wanted much to do with the Avatar for a long time."

Korra chuckled. "Understandable. I doubt I would either, in her position. I'm surprised you showed up here, even! It's got to be rough knowing your father was such an awful person."

"He wasn't awful."

"Excuse me, I think I've dealt with him more than you ever did. Were you even born before he died?"

"I was almost one."

"That's much too young for you to have any idea what you're talking about. In fact, I'd say you're _still_ too young to know what you're talking about."

"I heard you on the radio. You were speaking about Avatar Aang. He died before you were born."

"That's different." Korra shifted uncomfortably. The way he just stared was getting more uncomfortable by the minute. "I'm a grown-up."

"My mother doesn't think he was a bad person either. She has photos of the three of us that she shows me all the time. Once when she thought I was asleep, I saw her crying."

"_Fine_. Believe whatever you want. What are you _here_ for?"

Amaruq sighed. "I was saying before and you interrupted. I want to know why he died."

She cleared her throat. "Well. If you've heard the stories, then I don't know how much more I can tell you. All the navy patrols found was a burned out boat with two bodies, but they couldn't identify them. Either those were Amon and Tarrlok, or they escaped and they're off living happily wherever they ran off to."

"My mother says he's dead or he would have found a way to come back to us."

"Kid, I can't _help_ what your mother says. I'm just telling you what I know."

"That isn't what I mean, though. I'm asking why it came to that. You didn't help him."

"Yeah, because when I tried to talk to him he bloodbent and kidnapped me!"

"But that wasn't the end. In school they told us about the Avatar does. The Avatar is there for everyone. I've seen lots of stories about what you've done, and during the Equalist revolution, you helped save the city."

"That's right. It's a big job, but I manage."

"If you'd try to save an entire city, why couldn't you try to save my dad?"

Korra groaned and leaned back in her chair. "Listen, I did my best. I offered to free him on Air Temple Island, and he told me no."

"That was all?"

"What else was there? I had bigger things to take care of. You know, the whole Amon business."

"Oh."

She was waiting for the next question, but he pushed his chair back and stood. Korra watched him warily as he pulled on his coat and hat. "That's it? You were pushy enough before."

"I just wanted to know if you tried to help him."

"Which I did."

"I didn't mean letting him out of prison. It was the other things. If you talked to him. Or let him really talk to you."

It wasn't easy to keep meeting his eyes. "Hey, there were bigger things happening. The whole Equalist revolution, remember?"

"Yes."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I just wanted to know if you tried."


End file.
